This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.
Knowledge of radial nerve motor branch anatomy is important when performing surgery
in its vicinity, neurorrhaphy, and nerve blocks and for understanding the rate and
order of recovery of muscle function after injury. Twenty normal fresh cadaver arms
were dissected to quantitate radial nerve motor branch anatomy in the forearm. Though
variable in individual specimens, innervation order from proximal to distal (based
on mean shortest branch lengths) was brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus,
supinator, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor digitorum communis, extensor carpi
ulnaris, extensor digiti quinti, abductor policis longus, extensor policis longus,
extensor policis brevis, and extensor indicis proprius. In 10 specimens, branches
innervated the brachialis. Mean distances from a point 100 mm proximal to the lateral
epicondyle to the muscle measured along the shortest nerve branch ranged from 97.2
mm for the brachioradialis to 299.8 mm for the EIP. The mean number of muscular branches
ranged from 1.1 in the EIP to 4.6 in the EDC. Mean nerve length from the radial styloid
to the last motor branch was 115.8 mm.
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of Hand SurgeryAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Metrical and non-metrical features of the muscular branches of the radial nerve.J Comp Neurol. 1946; 85: 93-111
- Rate of regeneration of peripheral nerves in man.J Physiol. 1943; 102: 191-215
- The distribution of nerves in the upper limb, with reference to variabilities and their clinical significances.J Anat. 1921; 55: 79-112
- Radial nerve entrapment at the elbow: surgical anatomy.J Hand Surg. 1991; 16A: 742-747
- Anatomic basis of the physiopathology of the epicon-dylalgias: a study of the deep branch of the radial nerve.Surg Radiol Anat. 1993; 15: 15-19
- The arcade of Frohse and its relationship to posterior interosseous nerve paralysis.J Bone Joint Surg. 1968; 50B: 809-812
- Anatomical observations on the arcade of Frohse and other structures, related to the deep radial nerve: anatomical interpretation of deep radial nerve entrapment neuropathy.Folia Morphol. 1989; 37: 319-327
- A study of the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) and the radial tunnel in 30 Thai cadavers.J Hand Surg. 1993; 18A: 107-112
- Biometry.in: WH Freeman, San Francisco1981: 354-360
- Architecture of selected wrist flexor and extensor muscles.J Hand Surg. 1990; 15A: 244-250
- Architecture of selected muscles of the arm and fore-arm: anatomy and implications for tendon transfer.J Hand Surg. 1992; 17A: 787-798
- The superficial branch of the radial nerve: an anatomical study with surgical implications.J Hand Surg. 1992; 17A: 1037-1041
- Posterior interosseous nerve: an anatomic study of potential grafts.J Hand Surg. 1993; 18A: 743-745
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 1,
1996
Received:
April 26,
1996
Footnotes
*No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subjects of this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 1997 The American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved. Published by Elsevier Inc.
